Atlanta Weather

Monday, June 27, 2011

The 2011 Acura TSX Sport Wagon is true to its name, offering sporty driving dynamics in an attractively designed wagon package.

This model arrives two years after the redesign of the TSX, and seems to be right on time, as sporty cars that can double as family vehicles seem to be growing in both supply and demand.

The engine is a 201-horsepower, 2.4-liter four-cylinder which is linked to a five-speed automatic transmission. Fuel economy is pretty good, at 21 mpg in the city and 30 mpg highway.

The wagon is a bigger vehicle than its TSX sedan sibling, with a longer and taller body. It comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, xenon headlights and mirror-integrated turn signals standard.

The TSX wagon comfortably seats five, and comes with such niceties as rear air conditioning vents, a very handy feature at this time of year to add to the comfort of those sitting in the back area. Acura has also added more insulation to dampen cabin noise. There is a nice list of standard features such as heated, power front seats, leather, dual-zone automatic climate control, Bluetooth connectivity and USB/iPod integration. Acura has updated is optional navigation system with a new screen and extended map coverage. Additionally you can get weather and traffic updates.

Acura has included a number of safety features on the TSX such as antilock brakes, front, side-impact, and side curtain airbags, an electronic stability system, and active head restraints for the front seats. All are standard.

The TSX wagon sells from around $32,000.

It's probably safe to say that sales of the TSX wagon won't come near the levels of its sedan sibling, so you might not see a whole lot of these rolling around the streets of Atlanta or Macon.

But for those who choose this ride, they'll be getting style and functionality, and a bit of sportiness, in a very solid package.

Monday, June 20, 2011

Gasoline prices in Georgia are continuing a recent downward trend, following a decline in oil prices.
The average price of a gallon of gas in the the state is $3.58, AAA Auto Club South reported on its website. That's down from $3.62 a week ago and from $3.94 a month ago.
Meanwhile, oil prices have slid, closing last week at $93.01 a barrel, after closing at $99.29 the previous week. Poor economic forecasts have contributed to oil's slide, experts said.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Auto purchasing declined in May, helping lead retail sales to a decline for the first time in almost a year. Sales fell 0.2 percent, but wholesale prices rose 0.2 percent in May, which was the slowest rate in 10 months. Food costs declined and gas prices gained the smallest amount in eight months.

The drop in retail sales followed 10 consecutive months of gains, the Commerce Department said Tuesday.

Auto sales were off by nearly 3 percent, the sharpest drop since February 2010. Experts said fewer price cuts and a shortage of popular fuel-efficient vehicles caused the drop. Japan's natural disasters hindered transfers of vehicles and parts to North America.

Without the drop in autos, retail sales were up 0.3 percent.

The retail sales decline shows that the economy is struggling, as consumers face high fuel prices and continued weakness in the job market.

Friday, June 10, 2011

Ford says that it will produce a minivan that will be its first U.S. vehicle sold only as a hybrid.
Ford offers hybrid versions of some of its cars, but none are exclusively hybrids.
Ford's minivan will be similar to a five-passenger van, the C-Max, which it currently sells in Europe, That model is gasoline-powered.
Ford reportedly had planned previously to sell a seven-passenger, gas-powered C-Max in the U.S. next year, but now ill offer it as a gas/electric hybrid only.
The company says the vehicle will get more than 41 miles per gallon. There will also be a plug-in version that will be similar to the Chevrolet Volt, which runs initially solely on electricity, then switches over to gasoline mode.

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

The rebate program in California offered to buyers of electric cars is nearly out of funds, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
The Golden State gives up to $5,000 to green-car buyers, on a first-come, first-served basis. The Chronicle says so many have applied during the current fiscal year, however, that the program's $5 million annual funding will probably be used up before the next fiscal year begins in July.
The state will likely appropriate more funding next month, but car buyers will still probably have to be placed on a waiting list.

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Kia Motors is launching a $100 million project to expand its West Point, Ga., factory to be able to produce an additional 60,000 vehicles a year as the company seeks to meet rising demand for its products, the Associated Press reports.

Kia has has hired 1,000 more workers and is set to add a third shift to make the Sorrento crossover vehicle, and starting in September, the Optima midsize sedan, Kia reportedly said in a statement.

Kia has seen strong sales of the redesigned Optima, and its Sorrento and Sportage crossovers have done well also.

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Toyota has announced a recall of 106,000 first-generation Prius hybrid cars globally on Wednesday, saying the cars have faulty steering caused by a nut that may come loose.

Toyota says one accident suspected of being related to the problem was reported in the United States.

Toyota, which has been beset by huge global recalls recently, said the latest affects 48,000 Prius vehicles in Japan, starting with the first ones that went on sale in 1997, and those manufactured through 2003.

It also affects 58,000 vehicles sold internationally, including 52,000 Prius cars sold from 2001 through 2003 in the United States and some 1,200 in Britain and 800 in Germany, Toyota said.

Toyota says loose nuts in the electric-power steering can cause the vehicle, if operated over a long time, to steer with too much force.

The problem can be fixed by putting in better nuts and will take about four hours, the company said.